By Laura Walter

The cold wind blusters me across Millsboro, with a chill that defies springtime. I’m eager to reaching my downtown destination: Nectar café and juice bar on Main Street.

The spot just opened in December 2023 as a second location to the popular Lewes spot. Co-owners Lisa McDonald and her brother decided to bring more breakfast and lunch options to Millsboro. They revamped the former Blue Water Grill into the style of eclectic vintage farmhouse.

“We want it to be like you’re going into your grandmother’s kitchen,” homey but interesting. The bright white walls, exposed brick and a hammered tin ceiling capture light from the wide windows. McDonald wanted the breakfast joint to be bright and warm.

Nectar is a place where a meal could be good as vegan, vegetarian or meat heavy.

I choose a classic: eggs benedict and coffee, a warm meal for a cold day. Ham and egg are layered with thick asparagus, dusted with paprika, over ciabatta toast, covered with buttery lemon hollandaise sauce. The side dish is hearty sweet potato hash with red peppers.

On another day I might have added hot sauce, or even ordered something with lime and cilantro (my favorite flavors)—but the rich, rustic flavor is just right, with hot coffee and cream. The dish includes sliced tomatoes, for those who like an English twist (I’ve never had tomatoes with breakfast. My goal is always to try something unfamiliar. I decide it’s not my favorite, but I’ll be willing to try it again someday.)

The menu is homey, but with an elevated twist. All-day breakfast includes: Green Eggs & Ham (with gouda, arugula, pesto and potatoes); Buttered Pecan French Toast (brioche with bourbon pecan sauce and ice cream, which the waitress hopes I’ll order so she can vicariously enjoy it through me); acai bowls, sandwiches, American breakfast and more.

Sandwiches include half-pound burgers, bacon on egg salad, grilled cheese with gouda and cheddar, country chicken and more. Salads include the Southwest Grain Bowl, Salmon Citrus, Steak House, Greek style and more. Favorites include omelets, chicken pot pie, roasted cauliflower “steaks,” and more.

“I haven’t met anyone that doesn’t love our chicken salad,” says McDonald, who personally favors the chicken avocado BLT. “We do good portions! I wasn’t a black bean burger girl, but I like ours. And we make it from scratch.”

Menu items can be tweaked to meet a person’s taste or dietary needs. Vegan and vegetarian options are numerous. The Vedge sandwich comes layered in vegetables, caramelized onions, mozzarella, pesto and balsamic glaze—or try it with chicken, McDonald says. Try a fried egg on your burger. Try the gluten-free version of pancakes, sandwiches or muffins. Order the dairy-free alternatives of coffees or omelets.

“We definitely give a nod to healthy. Everything is from scratch. There’s not a dressing that comes in a bottle,” McDonald says. “We make all of our soups from scratch, our own pancake mix, omelet mix, we’re not opening up a box of … whatever. We make our own muffins, scones. It’s comfort food done well.”

This is a juice bar, so I order the sweet and tangy Nectar Punch: apple, orange pineapple, grape and raspberry. The Good Morning Sunshine is another crowd favorite, says the waitress, with cantaloupe, banana, orange and pineapple. There are more savory options with vegetables and herbs, too.

Some people are surprised by the rich flavors of juice—imagine pressed apple juice, or a bloody mary with fresh-squeezed vegetable base, instead of the pre-bottled varieties that people generally expect.

Wine and liquor are also available (also adding some interest to the juices).

I chose a quiet window table, to people watch (and car watch). This is also Route 24, a gateway to Rehoboth Beach, but a bypass route is under construction that will pull the heavier traffic off this Main Street.

The variety of restaurants and walkable downtown will help make Millsboro a destination, McDonald said. She’s seen the same expansion during her 15 years managing Lewes restaurants.

Street parking is available, plus municipal lots in front of and behind the café. Find Nectar at 226 Main Street in Millsboro, Del., with a second location at 111 Neils Alley in Lewes, Del., and www.cafenectar.com.

Bay to the Beach: Byways is a regular column in which we explore interesting places and projects on the Delmarva Peninsula. Videos and more photos at baytobaynews.com/bay-to-the-beach-byways